Swelling agent

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-011712",
  "term": "Swelling agent",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A substance that penetrates and expands the volume of a polymeric material, typically a crosslinked network or a gel. This expansion occurs as the agent diffuses into the polymer structure, increasing the distance between polymer chains. Common swelling agents for polymers include organic solvents and water, depending on the polymer's chemical nature.",
  "subject": "Polymer",
  "see_also": [
    "gel",
    "network"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 2007, 79, 1801. 'Definitions of terms relating to the structure and processing of sols, gels, networks, and inorganic-organic hybrid materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2007)' on page 1809 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200779101801)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/swelling-agent/"
}